Non-coring needle



Jan. 28, 1964 R. R. HARRISON 3,119,391

NON-CORING NEEDLE Filed July 9, 1962 INVENTOR. ROBERT R. HARRISONATTORNEY United States Patent The present invention relates to a novelneedle device for puncturing a variety of materials, more particularlyit relates to a needle type device for use in the field of parenteralfluid administration.

In the field of parenteral fluid administration the bottles ofparenteral fluid, primarily those of blood, are closed with are-sealable rubber stopper. This stopper is generally provided with anintegral rubber diaphragm. In the past there has frequently been aproblem in connecting fluid administration sets to said bottles. Thisproblem has been the so-called coring of the stopper by the connector ofsaid administration sets. Coring occurs when the connector is forcedthrough the stopper and punches or cuts and dislodges small particles ofrubher from the stopper and into the bottle of solution. The presence ofsuch particles in the parenteral solution is obviously undesirable andactually dangerous.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a needle-like devicewhich eliminates coring of the rubber stopper.

It is further an object to provide a novel piercing connector whichrequires a minimum of pressure to pierce the conventional rubberstopper.

It is still further an object of the present invention to provide apiercing connector which results in a superior re-sealing of the stopperafter use.

It is still further an object to provide a superior needlelike piercingdevice which may be used advantageously in a wide variety of materialssuch as rubber, skin, plastic or the like.

The above objects, and still further objects, are obtained by theexercise of the present invention. The accomplishment of these objectswill become more apparent as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the connector embodyingthe present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the piercing point of the connector ofFIGURE 1.

In the drawing is seen an embodiment of the present invention, in whichthe numeral 19 represents the connector generally. The connector 16 iscomprised of a general piercing end 11 provided with a point 12, and abevel cut 13, a tapered tubular shank 14, a flange-like manipulatingsurface 15, and a connecting section 16. A passageway or lumen 17extends the length of said plastic connector providing a means ofcontinuous flow from the piercing end 11, through the tubular shank 14and the connector 16.

The piercing end 11 is formed generally by the bevel cut portion 13, theopen section of which is divided into the orifices 13A and 13B by abridge 18. The bridge 18 extends from the tip 12 to the tubular shank14. It joins the tip 12 at an angle larger than that of the bevel cut 13and is provided with an angular external section 19. It is this angularblade-like section 19 which is believed to provide the superior stopperpiercing action of the present connector. The blade-like section 19 asit pierces the rubber stopper slits the rubber diaphragm, and gentlyspreads the material of said diaphragm without coring. The tubularportion 14 of the connector may thus be inserted through said connectorwith a minimum of force.

In the preferred form of the present invention the connector 10 isapproximately 2% inches long and is molded of a rigid plastic materialsuch as nylon, styrene, acrylic resins, or the like. As seen in FIGURE 3the piercing end 11 is formed generally by the bevel cut-like portion 13(angle 30) and the bridge section 18. The bladelike angular externalportion 19 of said bridge section rises sharply (about 45) from the tip12 of said connector to a level about equal to that of the lumen of thepassageway 17, and then proceeds generally along a less angular path tojoin the main portion of the connector. The orifices 13A and 13B formedby the bevel cut 13 and the bridge 18 are relatively oval in shape andmeasure .35 6 inch long and .030 inch wide.

The slotted connector of the present invention in addition to beingnon-coring, provides still further benefits when used in theadministration of blood. The onfices 13A and 13B and the bridge 18combine to provide an effective straining action which blocks, orprevents, the passage of large blood clots and strands of fibrin intothe passageway 17. This straining action has been found to be doublyvaluable when the connector is used in conjunction with theadministration of blood from a plastic container which utilizes a metalbead valve. In such cases the strainer also prevents the metal bead fromblocking the passageway 17 and thus obstructing flow through theadministration set to the recipient.

It will be readily understood that a wide variety of of modificationsand changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

While for purposes of illustration the connector has been shown as asingle item it will be readily appreciated that said connector could beincorporated in a structure comprising an integral drip tube and filterchamber.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are:

1. A needle-like piercing device comprising a tapered tubular shaftprovided with a passageway extending therethrough, manipulating meansadjacent one end of said shaft and, piercing means adjacent the otherend of said shaft, said piercing means comprising a solid piercing tipat the other end of said shaft, a bevel-like cut portion immediatelyadjacent said tip, an integral relatively narrow externally angularbridge extending from said solid tip against the bevel-like cut portionto the uncut portion of the tubular shaft, said bridge dividing theportion of the passageway exposed by said bevellike portion into twoparts, the main passageway of said tubular shaft being relativelyunobstructed by said bridge.

2. A needle-like piercing device comprising a tubular shaft providedwith a passageway extending therethrough, manipulating means adjacentone end of said shaft and, piercing means adjacent the other end of saidshaft, said piercing means comprising a solid piercing tip at the otherend of said shaft, a bevel-like cut portion imme- 3 4 diateiy adjacentsaid tip, an integral relatively narrow, an integral externally angularbridge extending from. said externally angular bridge extending fromsaid solid tip solid tip to the main portion of the tubular shaft, saidacross the bevel-like cut portion to the uncut portion of bridgedividing the portion of the passageway exposed the tubular shaft, saidbridge dividing the portion of the by said bevel-like open portion intotwo parts. passageway exposed to said bevel-like cut into two parts. 5

3. A needle-like piercing device comprising a tubular References Quad mthe file of this patent shaft provided with a passageway extendingtherethrough, UNITED STATES PATENTS manipulating means adjacent one endof said shaft and, 2,746,455 Abel May 22, 1956 a solid piercing tipadjacent the other end of said shaft, 2,958,545 Stelzer Nov. 1, 1960 abevel-like open portion immediately adjacent said tip, 10 2,989,053Hamilton June 20, 1961

3. A NEEDLE-LIKE PIERCING DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR SHAFT PROVIDEDWITH A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, MANIPULATING MEANS ADJACENTONE END OF SAID SHAFT AND, A SOLID PIERCING TIP ADJACENT THE OTHER ENDOF SAID SHAFT, A BEVEL-LIKE OPEN PORTION IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID TIP,